Can Kenneth Branagh pick up Thor’s hammer?

Sept. 29, 2008 | 9:45 p.m.

Thor is a Norse god, so I always liked to imagine that he talked like a big, bellowing version of the Swedish Chef, but in Marvel Comics, of course, the God of Thunder has always sounded more like a Shakespearean actor portraying one of the brawnier members of the Danish court from “Hamlet.”

Maybe that turned out to be a selling point; Marvel Studios is now trying to lock in (or, according to some sources, already has locked in) Kenneth Branagh to direct a film adaptation of Thor’s comics tale. Variety has a story about “negoitations” being underway but I doubt that Marvel Studios, still a very young and reputation-sensitive enterprise, would let this news out to circulate unless it was close to inking the deal.

I think it’s a great choice if does happen. I think “Dead Again,” “Hamlet” and “Frankenstein” proved the Shakespearean veteran to be a natural storyteller and one with a flair for keeping characters vivid and believable in the midst of sweeping tales.

Comments

One Response to Can Kenneth Branagh pick up Thor’s hammer?

I was thinking about this earlier when I heard the news, what a fantastic move on Marvel's part if this goes through. The Dark Knight did plenty to help improve the image of comics to critics, but to have Branagh helming a Marvel movie? I don't think anyone could ever again question the merits of a "comic book" film again … unless we're talking Superman III.